Method and apparatus for stripping holes in a metal substrate

(19)

(11)

EP 2 123 788 A3

(12)	EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88)	Date of publication A3:
	27.10.2010 Bulletin 2010/43

(43)	Date of publication A2:
	25.11.2009 Bulletin 2009/48

(21)	Application number: 09251213.6

(22)	Date of filing: 29.04.2009

(51)

International Patent Classification (IPC):

C23C 4/18^(2006.01)
B08B 9/00^(2006.01)

B08B 3/02^(2006.01)
B24C 1/04^(2006.01)

(84)	Designated Contracting States:
	AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO SE SI SK TR
	Designated Extension States:
	AL BA RS

(30)

Priority:

29.04.2008 US 125847
22.04.2009 US 386690

(71)	Applicant: Huffman Corporation
	Clover, CA 27910 (US)

(72)	Inventors:
	Miller, Mitchell O. Kings Mountain North Carolina 28086 (US) Caskey, Clyde W. Gastonia North Carolina 28054 (US)

(74)	Representative: Setna, Rohan P.
	Boult Wade Tennant Verulam Gardens 70 Gray's Inn Road London WC1X 8BT London WC1X 8BT (GB)

(54)	Method and apparatus for stripping holes in a metal substrate

(57) A method and apparatus for stripping foreign matter from holes in a substrate, such as a turbine component (10), which includes using a scanner (42) to locate the hole (16) and operating a water jet apparatus (22) to direct a water jet (34) or an abrasive water jet into the hole for stripping. A CAD model of the original turbine component may be used in the control system of the water jet apparatus to initially locate the scanner at the general or theoretical location of the hole. A reverse flow of low pressure water may be provided to further clear foreign matter from the hole.

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